The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-05-24
ROYAL pnooEssroNs IN oonpA
How the King Coos to Worship ut
tho Shrine OF His Ancestors.

1t is not SO easy to get u glimpse of
royalty in Corea rs it is in countries
partaking more of the western nature
Of civilization, writes q Seoul CORE
spondent. The king does not occupy
the place Of a god to the Coreans exactly.
as some have stated, but he does act
as very exalted high priest, and in
that capacity he sacrifices to Heaven
for his people in times Of distress, as
during the recent cholera epidemic,
lie is never seen by his common sub
jects excepting on certain occasions,
when he goes to worship at the shrines
of his ancestors. On these occasions
the streets are cleared of the merchant
booths and all other obstructions, fresh
yellow clay is spread over the road,
mounted and foot police keep the
crowd in order, and the king passes
by in procession of near a mile in
length. The procession is one of the
most gorgeous spectacles to be seen in
the East, and as modern civilization
will be apt soon to modify it., it is Ger.
tainly well worth seeing. Already for
eign uniforms and guns are beginning
to rob it OF some Of its barbaric splen-
dor. The king rides in gorgeous red
throne supported on the shoulders of
thlrty-two men. The carriage is open
and his majesty can be seen by all.
Usually the crown prince follows in q
similar chair, and very rarely the queen
is borne along in a closed chair so
arranged that she can see out but can
not be seen herself. The kings con-
veyance is preceded by large bodies of
soldiers in brass helmets and red armor
made of thickly-padded cloth covered
with metal plates. Bodies of these
gorgeous warriors are broken by
companies Of officers from tho palace
and eunuchs. These men wear the pe-
culiar court-dress, which is dark
green robe Of gauZe or figured silk. ac-
cording to rank and season, with an
embroidered slleld upon the back and
breast, denoting, by the figures worked
upon 1T, the rank Of the wearer. These
flowing garments are held in place by
q large belt Of fancifully carved wood.
tortoise-shell, OF gold set with costly
stones. The hat is peculiar, and hard
to describe. 1t is like truncated cone
with piece taken out Of the front. and
TWO wings projecting from the back.
1t Is woven Of silk and horsehair. and
Is quite open and light. The kings
conveyance in this procession il
Immediately surrounded by the modern
soldiers with foreign rifles, and clothes
made something after the foreign cut.
OF purple, bear-red and black calico
They usually have numbers of flaming
red banners and present q most pictur-
esque sight, while another body Of men
make deafening noise by shaking poles
supporting small cymbals. Following
the royal conVeyances are other bands
OF ancient and modern military officers
and other representatives from. the
palace, with occasionally Gattlinp
gun. The ancient soldiers have their
own bands, which pour out the weird.
monotonous music from flutes, violins
ana hour-glass shaped drums. But this
music seems rather subdued in the
presence of foreign trumpet, which is
most faithfully ''tooted" by the repre-
sentatives of the modern battalion. At
first it seems pleasant to hear our own
bugle-calls in such a strange place, but
as we try and catch the notes of the
strange music beyond, the shrill,
unsupported and constant "tooting' Of
our own bugle seems insolent, and we
feel compassion for the old-time strains
that are surely stepping aside for this
modern upstart.
Tests for Army Swords.